Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to pepper spray a dog?

160 replies

happydazed · 05/03/2014 18:48

well not actual pepper spray, its intended specifically for dogs and tested and approved so I am hoping wont actually cause them any harm.
My ds has been bitten once, not badly just nipped, my friends little girl was bitten again not too badly but drew blood, my ds has also been knocked over twice, on one occasion he was only 18 months old, toddling along next to me and a dog ran over jumped up and knocked him backwards his head hitting a stone wall, he was dazed, very upset and had a big lump on his head. All this has happened in local parks, with owners saying oh dont worry the dogs friendly, and then oh dear he's not usually so boisterous...

Because of this I avoid parks with the kids, which is such a shame, I have a beautiful park at the end of my road and I haven't been in it for 3 months, today we ventured in to feed the ducks with 5 kids under 3 between us, a dog ran up knocked 2 of the kids over, it was a staffy type and very boisterous, the children were very upset, we picked them up but it kept jumping up at us, the owner said it was our fault because the children were playing with sticks and the dog wanted them.

I have tried to train the children how to behave around dogs, to keep calm, to keep their hands by their sides etc, I am used to dogs, but if a dog runs at any 3 year old I know especially one who has been hurt by a dog before they scream and run away, I really don't know what I can do about that, it s often suggested to me by dog owners that it is my fault for not having the children behave appropriately but if they keep their dogs with them it wouldn't be an issue!

Summer is coming up and I don't feel I can safely take my children to the park or the beach which is just as bad. I know there are plenty of lovely responsible dog owners out there but unfortunately not all are. over 6000 people were admitted to hospital because of dog attacks last year so I don't feel I am being paranoid. Am I unreasonable to pepper spay the next dog that runs towards me or should I just accept parks have been given over to the dogs and children should stay in the fenced in playground areas.

OP posts:
Ohbyethen · 05/03/2014 19:15

Naked hadn't refreshed and seen your post. Glad I'm not alone in wondering.

LtEveDallas · 05/03/2014 19:19

You are more likely to inflame the situation and get yourself or your child bitten.

Check what sort of park you are going into. Local authorities usually signpost them as dog friendly (which means they can be off lead) or signpost that dogs should be on leads. If it's a dog friendly park and your children don't like dogs then take them elsewhere.

Again, don't use the spray - let alone the fact that you could be putting your DC in greater danger, if you are coming across bad dog owners they are unlikely to be receptive to what you have done, and may hurt you themselves.

I'm sorry you've been so unlucky with rogue dog owners.

TwittyMcTwitterson · 05/03/2014 19:38

Have to say tho, if someone sprayed my dog when it wasn't necessary I'd basically need spraying myself to calm me down. I get annoyed enough when people are just overly pathetic about his breed. He's actually very small and ppl who know Rotts ask me if he's a bitch/puppy so I laugh when ppl say he's big.

formerbabe · 05/03/2014 19:40

If it definitely worked then go for it...but I would be scared it would enrage the dog and make them more likely to attack.

I couldn't give a rats arse about the dog...

BMW6 · 05/03/2014 19:43

Well, in the case you describe the dog owner is at fault because the dog is not under their control. It is NEVER ok for a dog to run up to a child.
(Doesn't that contravene the danderous dogs act?).

In an ideal world the owner would apologise and put their dog on a lead and train it. Sadly there a a lot of numptys who really don't care or think their dog can do no wrong.

I would take photo of dog and owner on mobile (perhaps surrepitiously) and ring 101 asap.

(And yes, children should not approach / manhandle dogs without the owners permission, before I get jumped on, but this is NOT the case here. No need to be defensive of our pets at all times)

BMW6 · 05/03/2014 19:44

(Danderous dog? Dangerous of course!!)

Crowler · 05/03/2014 19:44

The OP is talking about taking matter into her own hands when dogs charge at/jump on her child. How could any sensible dog-owner object to this, being that a sensible dog owner wouldn't allow this to happen?

It's hard to discern an overly enthusiastic dog from a precursor to an attack and frankly I wouldn't hesitate to assume the latter.

LtEveDallas · 05/03/2014 19:48

Sensible being the operative word crowler.

A sensible owner wouldn't let it happen, ergo for it to have happened to OP so many times she has unfortunately been around owners that aren't sensible.

To that end, it could be a dangerous thing for OP to do.

MoominIsWaitingToMeetHerMiniMe · 05/03/2014 19:48

As a dog owner - a bouncy, totally non-aggressive but very excitable dog who is kept on her lead at all times other than on the beach in the winter when there's no-one else about - I'd have no problem with it as long as you used something dog-friendly as defence, rather than something harmful just to try and 'punish' the dog.

But I do agree that in return dog owners should be allowed to use a similar spray on children who run up and pull ears/tails/jump all over dogs on leads. Can't understand how parents think they have a right to complain when their child gets bitten in that situation.

TwittyMcTwitterson · 05/03/2014 19:51

Crowler, I think a friendly bouncy dog that's over friendly is obviously different to a mean dog.

Either way, my dog is always on lead and if he bounded up to anyone friendly or otherwise if be extremely apologetic and if they sprayed him, so be it.

On the other hand, I get people scream in fear when my pooch moves his nose and sniffs them as he/they walks past. If they sprayed then, I'd be pissed off Shock

Crowler · 05/03/2014 19:54

I've witnessed a dog attack. There wasn't a warning. Horrible. It was off it's lead - I can agree a dog on it's lead isn't that scary.

GColdtimer · 05/03/2014 20:04

Eevesmummy, why the confusion?. Op has unfortunately encountered badly trained and dangerous dogs. What is confusing about that? Of course she shouldn't but she has.

BrokenButNotFinished · 05/03/2014 20:14

My daughter was knocked backwards by an exuberant labrador once when she was about 2 - hit her head on the tarmac. Owners some distance away. They ran over apologising, but by then their 'friendly' lab was cowering on the ground, pinned by the throat by my much smaller but much feistier terrier.

That approach works too. And tends to focus other dog owners' minds... Grin

HotPanda · 05/03/2014 20:15

You could try taking a pot filled with stones out with you, use it as a shaker and it should dissuade the dogs from coming near you if can see one coming.

Most of the parks where I live have a separate area for the children's play park with a separate street entrance, so it is possible to avoid dogs. Can you go to similar parks?

TwittyMcTwitterson · 05/03/2014 20:17

Confused as to why the kids/dogs are so close for this to be happening. Say if dogs and kids are off leads I can kind of see it happening. Surely dog owners are more sensible than this??

I know some aren't but thought that was the exception rather than the rule.

Basically confused as to why so many bad dog owners in op's area.

LesterBurnam · 05/03/2014 20:18

I see the dog apologists are out in force tonight. OP I think you should do whatever it takes to keep out of control dogs away from your children. As BMW6 suggests take photos next time a dog attacks your children and report to the police. If any dog bites one of my DCs I will be pushing for it to be put to sleep. Can't believe anyone thinks it is ok to keep a dog once it has bitten.

TwittyMcTwitterson · 05/03/2014 20:20

No one said it was ok to keep a bitey dog did they? Shock

LEMmingaround · 05/03/2014 20:20

If you did that to my dog I'd flatten you.well thats what id want to do but id actually just call the police.

LesterBurnam · 05/03/2014 20:23

Evees, the OP said her son had been bitten. Maybe the dog was pts but she didn't say so in her post. Probably not, because if it happened in a park you can bet the scumbag owner legged it before the OP could do anything to find out who the owner was.

justtoomessy · 05/03/2014 20:24

YABU to want to spray a dog as you don't know how it will react or even worse how the owner will react. I just wish there were more dog parks around as this would help with this problem. I recently found one about 7-8 miles from me and it was bliss knowing I didn't have to worry about kids or dogs on leads (my dog has become a knob on his lead towards other dogs). Loads of dogs free to run around off lead and socialise.

I think if every park had such an area and it would make life easier in some respects.

Owllady · 05/03/2014 20:25

Have you reported these incidents? They sound quite serious
I would contact your community police and see what they suggest

Bizarrely I got told off by another dog walker today for having my dog on a lead Confused

LesterBurnam · 05/03/2014 20:26

Lemming, if your dog launched itself at me or my kids a bit of pepper spray would be the least of its worries. Where has this attitude come from with so many people that their dogs are more important than humans? I'm genuinely interested to know why people think that way, I can't imagine ever thinking that an animal is more important than a child.

oddsocksmostly · 05/03/2014 20:28

Good thinking from Panda! Or maybe some other noise deterent

Onethingatatime · 05/03/2014 20:35

Nothing infuriates me more than dog owners merrily shouting over 'don't worry he's friendly really' I don't care whether it is or not- just stop it jumping up at me and my kids or I'll quite happily do whatever I need to do to get it away. I might give it a swift kick but as long as I shout 'do nt worry I'm friendly really' then that's ok surely.....

BrokenButNotFinished · 05/03/2014 20:38

Owllady: I once got a lecture from some older bloke about having my dog on the lead, not free to run around, when I was pregnant with my first child. I was huge, with spd, on a blisteringly hot summer's day, walking an 11 month old puppy whose recall was not yet good. I got the feeling it made him feel good to harangue the pregnant lady. Either that, or he was so dog-centric he didn't even notice.